Australia in the 1960s

Anti-conscription movement

In November 1964, the Commonwealth Parliament reintroduced compulsory military service (the National Service Scheme). Upon turning 20, if chosen by a lottery system, men were required to serve two years' military service on a full-time basis in regular army units, and could be sent overseas.

In 1965, the Save Our Sons movement was formed seeking the repeal of the National Service Act 1964 (Cth). Women, including Jean McLean, led it. The Save Our Sons group campaigned against conscription and supported draft resisters, speaking on behalf of conscientious objectors at rallies.

In the same year, Youth Campaign Against Conscription (YCAC) was formed. In 1965, they published an advertisement in The Australian newspaper declaring why they opposed conscription. In 1966, prime minister Harold Holt announced that he was going to send national servicemen (conscripts) to Vietnam.

In 1968, the Draft Resistance Movement was formed. The first man to be sent to a civilian jail for non-compliance was John Zarb. The anti-conscription movement became stronger between 1966 and 1969. In June, Simon Townsend (host of the television program Simon Townsend's Wonderworld) was granted exemption from national service due to his imprisonment for being a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War.